Design Thread 3: The Movement
The purpose of this design thread is to discuss the movement that will be used for the Project THOR Limited Edition watch we are creating.
The movement is, without question, a cornerstone design element; it will, by virtue of its features, have a profound impact on the design process and ultimately in part determine the course of the project.
Despite the limits of our budget, Steinhart has come up with an impressive variety of movements - TWELVE in total - for us to choose from. Most exciting - and as was the case with the Proteus Project - Steinhart is providing us with a unique opportunity to use components that are new to the brand: Two Soprod movements are included in the list that haven't yet been used in a production Steinhart timepiece.
If you had a particular movement in mind, and it isn't on the list, then it isn't available - period. Please don't spin your wheels (and waste everyone's time) by making a plea for a movement that isn't an option.
Finally, we should preemptively address the inevitable question of availability. It's next to impossible to predict what the availability of each of these movements will be when the time comes for our watch to begin production. However, Steinhart has assured us that as of today, with the exception a few noted below, none of these movements should represent a challenge to obtain when the time comes.
The List of Movements available to Project THOR:
Steinhart ST.1 Premium
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial).
ETA 6497 Soigné
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial at 9 o'clock).
ETA 6498 Soigné
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial at 6 o'clock).
ETA 2824-2 Elaboré
Automatic movement with date, and three hands (hours, minutes, and a central second hand).
ETA 2893-2 Elaboré (questionable availability)
Automatic GMT movement with date and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a central 24 hour hand).
ETA 7750 Elaboré (base quality)
Automatic chronograph movement with day, date, and six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
ETA 7750 TOP (mid-quality, questionable availability)
Automatic chronograph movement with day, date, and six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
Soprod SOP A10-2
Automatic movement with date, and three hands (hours, minutes, and a central second hand).
Soprod SOP A10-2 24H
Automatic GMT movement with date and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a central 24 hour hand).
Soprod SOP 9335/A10-2 (questionable availability)
Automatic GMT movement with magnified date, power reserve indicator, and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a sub 24 hour hand).
Dubois Dépraz DD 2020 (based on ETA 2824-2)
Automatic chronograph movement with six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds counter, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
Dubois Dépraz DD 2030 (based on ETA 2824-2)
Automatic chronograph movement with five hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and two chronograph hands: central seconds and a sub 30 minute counter).
Given the importance of this design element, and the sheer number of options available to us, we expect this thread will run longer than normal before it reaches the voting stage. Consider this fair warning for those who are impatient and want to just vote their way through the entire project. ;-)
AMENDMENT 1:
In order to simplify the movement decision process we are going to break the voting for it into two parts. The first vote will be to decide which TYPE of movement we'll be using, either a three-hand, GMT, or chronograph, and the second vote will be to decide which of the movements from the winning category will actually be used. This discussion thread will be used to cover both votes and this post will be updated with the results of the first vote, which will start in four or five days time. Hopefully this will make this step of the design process less daunting.
AMENDMENT 2:
The following list ranks the movements in terms of their cost. Further details concerning the ramifications of their costs can be found in post 251 of this thread.
• ETA 2824-2 Elaboré
• ETA 2893-2 Elaboré
• ETA 6497 and 6498 Soigné (same price)
• SOP A10-2
• ETA 7750 Elaboré and Dubois Dépraz DD 2030 (same price)
• Dubois Dépraz DD 2020
• SOP A10-2 24h
• ST.1 Premium
• ETA 7750 TOP
• SOP 9335/A10-2
The purpose of this design thread is to discuss the movement that will be used for the Project THOR Limited Edition watch we are creating.
The movement is, without question, a cornerstone design element; it will, by virtue of its features, have a profound impact on the design process and ultimately in part determine the course of the project.
Despite the limits of our budget, Steinhart has come up with an impressive variety of movements - TWELVE in total - for us to choose from. Most exciting - and as was the case with the Proteus Project - Steinhart is providing us with a unique opportunity to use components that are new to the brand: Two Soprod movements are included in the list that haven't yet been used in a production Steinhart timepiece.
If you had a particular movement in mind, and it isn't on the list, then it isn't available - period. Please don't spin your wheels (and waste everyone's time) by making a plea for a movement that isn't an option.
Finally, we should preemptively address the inevitable question of availability. It's next to impossible to predict what the availability of each of these movements will be when the time comes for our watch to begin production. However, Steinhart has assured us that as of today, with the exception a few noted below, none of these movements should represent a challenge to obtain when the time comes.
The List of Movements available to Project THOR:
Steinhart ST.1 Premium
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial).
ETA 6497 Soigné
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial at 9 o'clock).
ETA 6498 Soigné
Handwinding movement with three hands (hours, minutes, and a sub-second dial at 6 o'clock).
ETA 2824-2 Elaboré
Automatic movement with date, and three hands (hours, minutes, and a central second hand).
ETA 2893-2 Elaboré (questionable availability)
Automatic GMT movement with date and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a central 24 hour hand).
ETA 7750 Elaboré (base quality)
Automatic chronograph movement with day, date, and six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
ETA 7750 TOP (mid-quality, questionable availability)
Automatic chronograph movement with day, date, and six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
Soprod SOP A10-2
Automatic movement with date, and three hands (hours, minutes, and a central second hand).
Soprod SOP A10-2 24H
Automatic GMT movement with date and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a central 24 hour hand).
Soprod SOP 9335/A10-2 (questionable availability)
Automatic GMT movement with magnified date, power reserve indicator, and four hands (hours, minutes, central second, and a sub 24 hour hand).
Dubois Dépraz DD 2020 (based on ETA 2824-2)
Automatic chronograph movement with six hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and three chronograph hands: central seconds counter, and sub 30 minute and sub 12 hour counters).
Dubois Dépraz DD 2030 (based on ETA 2824-2)
Automatic chronograph movement with five hands (hours, minutes, sub-second and two chronograph hands: central seconds and a sub 30 minute counter).
Given the importance of this design element, and the sheer number of options available to us, we expect this thread will run longer than normal before it reaches the voting stage. Consider this fair warning for those who are impatient and want to just vote their way through the entire project. ;-)
AMENDMENT 1:
In order to simplify the movement decision process we are going to break the voting for it into two parts. The first vote will be to decide which TYPE of movement we'll be using, either a three-hand, GMT, or chronograph, and the second vote will be to decide which of the movements from the winning category will actually be used. This discussion thread will be used to cover both votes and this post will be updated with the results of the first vote, which will start in four or five days time. Hopefully this will make this step of the design process less daunting.
AMENDMENT 2:
The following list ranks the movements in terms of their cost. Further details concerning the ramifications of their costs can be found in post 251 of this thread.
• ETA 2824-2 Elaboré
• ETA 2893-2 Elaboré
• ETA 6497 and 6498 Soigné (same price)
• SOP A10-2
• ETA 7750 Elaboré and Dubois Dépraz DD 2030 (same price)
• Dubois Dépraz DD 2020
• SOP A10-2 24h
• ST.1 Premium
• ETA 7750 TOP
• SOP 9335/A10-2